Another factor that some people believe increases the odds of suicide is a genetic predisposition. Kurt often talked of having “suicide genes.” He said that his great-uncle Burle and great-uncle Kenneth both shot themselves, and he also thought he had a great-grandfather who stabbed himself. Eric emailed me, “I’m not a big fan of the suicide gene theory. Depression maybe, but I believe that if you hear someone chose that way out, and you have some mental illness, you are given the idea that it’s an option. Families having mental illness passed down through generations yes, but a gene that
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